News

The Running Year 2003 began at noon at the Brandenburg Gate

At noon sharp, the district mayor of Berlin Mitte, Joachim Zeller, gave the starting shot and sent nearly 3,500 cheerful runners down the course.

2003-01-01

After the New Year’s Eve Run the day before, the Berlin running community
met again, on the Pariser Platz in front of the Brandenburg Gate, which was
already cleaned up after the New Year’s Eve festivities, for the 32nd
Berlin New Year’s Day Run, a charity run for UNICEF, in minus 10°C
weather.

At the traditional start of the running year in Berlin, the masses of
participants had to be slowed down by “breakers” organised by SCC
RUNNING.

The police supported the runners by clearing the streets with their cars for
a free course. The 4 km FUN RUN, conceived as a charity run for UNICEF, which
led down the boulevard Unter den Linden to the Lustgarten, took place under the
eyes of numerous strolling specta-tors and tourists.

The runners were applauded by spectators enjoying champagne at the ice bar
of the Adlon Hotel at the start. The state secretary for youth and sport,
Thomas Härtel, joined in the race, as did the ex-European champion in 1500
m and Olympic bronze medalist, Bodo Tümmler (SCC), as well as other
celebrities from politics and business. It was also a family race, with baby
joggers out at a jogging pace, and even some dogs had their starting numbers
with the UNICEF logo.

A total or € 2,943.77 was collected for UNICEF, the Children’s
Fund of the United Nations. Claudia Bardenheuer, the head of UNICEF Berlin,
said: „We from UNICEF are delighted that Berlin’s runners are not
only doing something for their own health with this run, but are also helping
children in need with their donations.”

All participants received the obligatory certificates for at the finish, as
well as jelly donuts that were, however, frozen. The balloons from UNICEF were
also frozen and had to be warmed up before they could be blown up.

The hot tea offered by the German Red Cross assured that the participants
regained their normal temperatures after the race. SCC RUNNING can look
placidly ahead to the anniversary year 2003 after this successful start, as
numerous running highlights are pre-programmed for the year: 20 years
Women’s Run, 25 years Team Marathon, 30 years Berlin Marathon, and 40
years Berlin Cross Country Run.

Our thanks go out to the COMMERZBANK, who invited the guests and sponsors,
as well as organisers, of SCC RUNNING and the real,- BERLIN MARATHON for a
“mouth watering” buffet in their facilities at Pariser Platz 1. The
buffet presented by the Hotel Bleibtreu also made „mouths water“
for the great view to be had for the upcoming 30th real,- BERLIN MARATHON on
September 27-28, 2003, when the runners and skaters will make their final
attack down the last 300 metres through the Brandenburg Gate to the finish on
the boulevard Straße des 17. Juni.